I received some excellent responses the other day when I asked the question, What is God teaching you right now?
I learned of struggles I had no idea folks were facing. I learned of lessons that, really, I need to be learning myself.
Thanks so much for your responses. (FYI—I do my best to read and respond to every email or comment that comes in…so be patient with me if it takes a few days to get back to you ;])
I am not permitted to share the details of one story I received here, but let’s just say it was a POWERFUL display of God’s love.
In my response back to this reader, I noted that the situation was a powerful response of God’s love motivated by the Spirit of God.
This served as a huge reminder to me—God’s Spirit has the power to motivate me to love others in spite of my circumstances, whatever they be.
Whatever good I do…I do through Christ in me. I don’t do it under my own power. Nor can I. Nor do I have to!
I realize there is a balance to the gospel. We understand that we were once under the wrath of God, and in the satisfaction of God’s judgment, we have been extended mercy and grace wrought by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
But let us not forget our task in terms of becoming a disciple of Jesus. He left us with a pretty clear instructions: Love God, love your neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39).
Our gospel is the gospel of God’s love for a sin-sickened world, and our task is to spread God’s love within it.
Others will wrong you…
Others will let you down…
Others will antagonize you…
And to you I say, love them in spite of it, because God’s Spirit has the power to motivate that response in you.
Enduring Together,
Steve
P.S. One of the most popular articles on my blog deals with how to love others while not condoning their actions…which is a huge topic for today. Here’s a link if you’re interested: http://steveschramm.com/how-to-love-others-without-condoning-their-actions/
